Beyond the #OccupyGezi hashtag in one Turkish-American household

Although I usually post about matters related to disability policy or child welfare practice – today I am sharing a friend’s blog post on what it is like to be in a Turkish American marriage during what I believe to be a revolution or Civil War in Turkey – the country that my husband is from. The Twitter hashtag #OccupyGezi refers to what is going on in Turkey – in Istanbul and in many other cities. Thank you for considering reading my friend’s piece.

Slowly, American folks around us have started to tune in to what is happening in Turkey. Some have caught on to this on Twitter via the hashtag #OccupyGezi, referring to the Occupy Movement in Istanbul’s Gezi Park, which was at risk of being razed for the development of the Prime Minister’s son’s shopping mall. Slowly, M. and I have learned to navigate the challenge of watching one’s homeland erupt into the unknown from thousands of miles away. It includes M.’s usually excellent English breaking down – I suppose due to preoccupation with what is going on at home – or as he says – one of his homes. It includes M. taking naps to alleviate stress, something I have never seen him do. It includes partnering on the production of protest slogans and signs for the protests that have occurred in and around Boston by the small population of…